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Auction: 22101 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 19

The important India General Service Medal awarded to Lieutenant H. S. Guinness, Burma State Railway Volunteers, latterly Assistant Managing Director of the family firm, 1924-30, Director of the Great Northern Railway (Ireland), 1902-24, Director of the Bank of Ireland, 1910-24, Governor of the Bank of Ireland, 1922-24, and an Irish Free State Senator 1921-34


India General Service, 1854-95, 3 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89, Burma 1889-92 (Lieutt. H. S. Guinness Burma State Ry. Vol. Rifles.), mounted as worn, private rivets, suspension a little loose, good very fine

Henry Seymour Guinness was born on 24 November 1858, the son of Henry Guinness of Burton Hall, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin. Educated at Winchester College and at the Royal Indian Engineering College, he served in India between 1870 and 1895, initially as part
of the Public Works Department, and latterly with the Burma State Railway Volunteer Rifles (Medal & 3 clasps).

The list of his positions include being made High Sheriff of Dublin, 1899, a Member of the Council for Alexandria College, Dublin, 1899-1940, Director of the Great Northern Railway 1902-24, Director of the Bank of Ireland, 1910-24, Governor of the Bank of Ireland, 1922-24, and latterly was Assistant Managing Director of the family brewing firm of A. Guinness & Co., 1924-30. He was also a member of the first Irish Senate between 1921-34. During the Irish War of Independence Guinness arranged for the Sinn Féin led Dublin Corporation to be funded by the Bank of Ireland, as rates due from the Local Government Board had been withheld in 1920. He published The Guinness Family, written along with Brian Guinness, along with a number of essays and short books on the history of the Guinness family. The originals and supporting notes are at the National Library of Ireland.

His sister married the famous artist Philip de László, who painted Guinness, whilst he had issue of four daughters. His second daughter married Prince John Bryant Digby de Mahé in 1931, whilst his youngest daughter took a Silver Medal in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics in the individual foil.

A keen horseman, he is noted as having sold stock through Tattersall's. Guinness spent his final years in England, and died at Tunbridge Wells on 4 April 1945; sold together with copied research, which includes his portrait and other extracts.

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Sold for
£1,700

Starting price
£580